Rangmalla, the elephant, trying to catch the plastic bag of a pilgrim in the Gandak river during the Sonepur Mela.
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Faithful making offerings to a lingam on Kali ghat during the Sonepur Mela.
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A Mahout waiting for customers during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar.
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Pilgrims taking their Holy bath in the Gandak river during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar.
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Goats are also on sale during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar.
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Nuns praying around the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya.
For Buddhists, Bodhgaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. In 2002, Mahabodhi Temple, located in Bodhgaya, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A Buddhist woman qietly praying in near the entrance of the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya. For Buddhists, Bodhgaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. It is famous for being the place of Gautama Buddha's attainment of nirvana (Enlightenment).
A monk praying in front of the Boddhi tree in Bodhgaya
Praying under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya
A monk circling the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya
A sadhu walking around the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya.
At night , walking around the Mahabodhi temple
The Mahabodhi Temple is a famous temple standing tall at 54 mts. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this temple has been renovated over the years. It enshrines a large golden Buddha, and is encompassed by an ancient railing, dating back to 100 BC. See also the famous Bodhi Tree where Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment, and the Vajrasana or throne, where Buddha sat.
We shared a moment sitting together during a shower, a lot of rain..
Portrait of the previous woman you see going away from the river Ganges.
I was walking alongside the Ganges in Patna, where all the women were doing their laundry..
That one was a bit curious about the camera... She came to look inside..
Another nice moment. Patna in the state of Bihar is a very friendly city.
A sleepy saddhu at the door of a small temple in Patna. The Saddhu tradition has a long history. It consists of renouncing
worldly ties in pursuit of higher values of life. Ideally a sadhu lives in the society but is detached from its pleasures and pains.
Saddhus typically survive on bhiksha (alms) provided by families, and on natural resources, and they spend much of
their time in meditation.
A picture taken in Patna, the capital of the state of Bihar. Temperature was going up very fast,
and this rickshaw driver was having a well earned rest. Difficult light that day.
"Thums" Up is a national drink, with a taste close to the one of Coke, a bit better for me and a lot cheaper..
Patna is a very interesting town with no tourists at all, so it's really quiet for us travelling there..
A corpse on the side of one of Patna's main road waiting to be brought up to the cremation center on the banks of the Sacred Ganges.
People waiting for the ferry to cross the river Ganges...
And the result is pretty good after 5 minutes.
I did it for me.
A saddhu saluting me. he was sitting in a temple alongside the sacred Ganges river
A woman doing her laundry in Bodhgaya. The place is near a river next to the former palace.
Two man elegantly resting at the foot of a tree, near the entrance of the Sujata temple, outside of Bodhgaya.
Bodhgaya is the place where the Buddha attained enlightment..
A man consulting in Bodhgaya.
I shot this image having in mind a picture from Henri Cartier Bresson shot in 1947.
It was actually the picture of an Astrologer in Bombay, shot in the same way, the writings being on the right side though...
A sculpture of Buddha shot inside the cave where he meditated for 7 years.
